Resident Evil 4 Remake: PS5 Review
"When the original Resident Evil 4 released way back in 2005, I was so shocked and let down by the immediate change in tone, gameplay, controls, mechanics and transformation from the normal Resident Evil formula up to that point that I wasn't a huge fan of the game. Not only did I not like these new faster moving enemies over the fleshy, slow but creepy zombies of Raccoon City, but I was not a huge fan of the action-oriented game direction. It was a complete change from what I had become accustomed to, from managing your inventory and having to retrace steps several times just to be able to pass certain areas, and the more horror themed elements of the games that came before. Alot of people loved the original RE4 but I blamed it for being the sole reason why Resident Evil wound up becoming the disaster it was when Resident Evil 6 released. Well, if there were any of you out there who felt similarly to how I did, rest assured that this is not only worlds better than the original, but I would go so far as to say that it is even on the same level as my beloved RE2 Remake and trust me when I say that that is an accomplishment I never thought I would say in this lifetime."
"Not only has every single detail about the original been improved upon by either a blast of new paint via the RE Engine, or completely expanded upon like areas not seen in the original game. There are some vastly open world type areas that leave you free reign to explore as you see fit, and plenty of reason to backtrack to old areas to solve side quests and pick up treasures. The story beats remain much in line with the orginal, but the dialogue, scenes and chemistry between almost all of the characters are given plenty of time to deliver an emotional and more involved retelling of the events that take place in this deserted area of Europe. Ashley & Leon are much more of a dynamic than ever before instead of Ashley just being a pain in the ass to keep watch over, she can now be controlled more tightly when playing as Leon watching over her. Luis Serra, everyone's favorite Latino ladies man, is another excellent cast member given a nice new look and more camera time. He now feels much more of a cohesive part of the story than the seldom random encounters you see him in in the original, and he also has some hilarious lines and witty quips almost every time you run into him. SPOILER ALERT- The only character I feel did not get the same love or treatment was Ada Wong, but Capcom could very well be planning a DLC episode spanning Ada's playthrough of the events sort of like the original did after you beat the game. I imagine that they will, because her and Leon are not given near enough time to form any chemistry I just knew we were going to see."
"Speaking of an overhaul, the Las Plagas enemy types have vastly improved my opinion of the game and are much more creepier and smarter than ever before. The cult only gets spookier the further in you go, (similar to the original), but RE4 Remake has few new twists up its sleeve such as the wolf enemies, and the Las Plagas in the castle areas are really creepier than ever before. There is a much tougher boss fight this time around, and the hugely expanded areas around the village, lake, & castle areas are dotted with lore and texts detailing more happening behind the scenes. There are some genuinely creepy moments this time around instead of being an action-packed Bond movie, even if Leon still incorporates plenty of melee. Its explained and shown how he managed to get to that point this time around so it feels more believable than the huge gap in experience we witnessed in the original from before. The famed Merchant returns and he offers a wide array of weapons to customize and an exciting shooting range that will take some time to fully master. There are also many side quests to be found and completed for special rewards and they are well worth the running around and time to complete. Oh yeah, and speaking of creepier enemies, Capcom does a fantastic job of making the Regeneradors even scarier and intense to encounter. The moaning sound is enough to alert you to the fullest, and that is always a good thing in a Resident Evil game in my opinion."
"There is even a Mercenaries Mode, which is fun to play around with and with plenty of unlockable outfits and accessories to equip each character with on future playthroughs RE4 Remake is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. This is developed on the same level as Resident Evil 2 was, (sadly not Resident Evil 3), but the way it changed my complete outlook on this entry in the series is the biggest change in my eyes. I hated the original for steering so far off course of the original RE format, and now Capcom has made this one of the best it's made to date, (still does not trump RE2 in my opinion), but it is an amazing feat that Capcom should be proud of. The only question now is where will they go from here? The only obvious choice would be a fully redesigned Code Veronica Remake given the same level of love and care this and RE2 were. Capcom is on a roll, and I hope its a roll that continues for the rest of the Resident Evil legacy!!